Tray for stacking and washing dishes



Sept. 22, 1959 A. M. WEBER 2,905,353

TRAYFOR STACKING AND WASHING DISHES Filed Nov. 7, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent TRAY FOR STACKING AND WASHING DISHES Albert M. Weber, Chicago, 111., assignor to Seco Company, Inc., St. Louis, M0., a corporation of Missouri Application November 7, 1957, Serial No. 694,951

7 Claims. (Cl. 220-19) This invention relates to trays for stacking and washing chinaware, plasticware and the like, such as plates, platters, dishes and cups. More particularly, this invention relates to improvements in the construction of such trays.

Heretofore, trays of the type comprising the subject matter of this invention usually comprised rectangularshaped baskets made of wire gridwork and adapted to removably fit into racks. The tray-ladened racks provided means for conveniently storing and handling dishes and were further adapted for use in dish washing machines. The basket, or trays, were provided with a plurality of parallel struts spaced both longitudinally and vertically one from the other with the ends thereof secured to opposite sides of the tray. The struts thus afforded means for spacing and stacking the dishes and simultaneously served to reinforce and strengthen the tray itself. These trays were usually coated with rubber or plastic such as Plastisol.

Heretofore the ends of the struts were usually connected to the tray sides by welding or the like. However, because of the rough handling, as well as the vibrations to which the trays were subjected in the dishwashing machine, the area surrounding the weld often fractured, thus permitting the struts to separate. This, of course, weakened the tray and resulted in undesirable rattling and the like.

Attempts to remedy the abovementioned undesirable tray constructions have not proven to be very successful. At best such attempts were directed primarily to securing only the top struts and not the intermediate or bottomrn'ost struts.

It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide a tray of the character described which will overcome all of the disadvantages mention hereinabove.

Another object is to afford a tray in which both the top and the bottom struts are integrally formed and then assembled and secured within the tray in immovable relationship to the sides thereof; said securing means comprising structural means rather than welding means alone. Thus in the event of fracturing of the weld, the struts will be retained in substantially immovable relationship.

A further object is to provide a tray so designed as to greatly facilitate the construction and assembly of the same.

Yet another object is to afford a rack construction in which coaction of the parts tend to prevent the individual members from separating, or loosening, one from the other.

Still a further object is to so construct a tray of the character described that no parts protrude above the top of the sides, thereby affording a tray in which stacking is facilitated and in which excessive abrasion of the parts which heretofore protruded, is avoided.

Still another object is to provide a tray construction designed to facilitate the coating of the same and to insure a continuous even coating but nevertheless avoiding the necessity for excessively coating certain parts as was the case heretofore.

Still a further object is to afford a tray construction in which repair or replacement of struts or other parts is greatly facilitated.

A final object is to provide a dishwashing tray of simple, inexpensive construction, having a minimum number of parts, yet sturdy, durable, and not excessively heavy.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. 7

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, my invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is atop plan view of a dishwashing tray embodying the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view taken on the plane of line 2-2 in Fig. l of the drawings and viewed in the direction indicated; I

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view taken on the plane of line 33 in Fig. 1 of the drawings and, again, viewed in the direction indicated;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional, detail view taken on the plane of line 4-4 in Fig. :1 of the drawings and viewed in the direction indicated;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged, top plan, detail view taken on the plane of line 55 in Fig. 4 of the drawings with portions removed to facilitate illustration of the same; and

Fig. 6 is a still further enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken on the plane of line 6-6 in Fig. 4 of the drawings and illustrating certain details of construction.

Referring now to the several figures of the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates generally a tray or basket comprising a wire gridwork. Included in this gridwork may be a rectangular-shaped endless top frame loop 12 and a similar bottom frame loop 14. Loops 12 and 14 are spaced apart and securely joined together by means of a plurality of hairpin-shaped members in. In Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings, it will be noted that each of these hairpins 16 are formed by bending a length of wire degrees about a radius to afford an arcuately curved top portion 18 and a pair of legs such as 2&5 and 22. The apex of the arcuately curved portion 18 is secured to the loop 12 by means of welding as at 24 with the top of the hairpin loop 18 flush with the top of the frame loop 12. The lower portions of the legs 20 and 22 are likewise welded to the lower frame loop 14, but with the ends of said legs protruding slightly below the bottom of said loop 14. The purpose thereof will become apparent as the description proceeds.

An intermediate frame loop 26 is positioned in spaced relationship with the bottom loop 14 and is likewise secured in position by Welding thereto intermediate portions of the hairpin legs 20 and 22..

The plate dividers or struts may each comprise rectangular-shaped endless loops indicated generally by reference numeral 28 which are positioned in spaced relationship one with the other and with the plane of their major axes perpendicular to the plane of the framing loopsiZ, 14 and 26 (see Figs. 2, 4 and 6). It will be noted that the length of these strut loops are somewhat greater than the width or length of the frame loops so that end portions 30 thereof protrude beyond the hairpin members 16 through which the strut is inserted. Thus, each strut is positioned between the legs 20 and 22 of a hairpin 16. Again, the function of this construction will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Directing attention now to Figs. 2, 4 and 6 of the drawings, the unique method of securing the strut loops 28 in immovable relationship within the tray framework will now be described. For this purpose, a pair of shaped locking pin members 32 and 34 are inserted between the strut ends 3t} and the hairpins 16 at both ends of the tray; thereby locking the strut loops in immovable position within the tray. it will be noted that each of the locking pin wire members 32 and 34 are wavelike in shape so that portions thereof such as 3, intermediate the hairpin 16, abut the top frame loop 12 and the intermediate frame loop 26 respectively. However, those portions such as 38 of the locking pins which are positioned in alignment with the hairpins 18 are bent outwardly away from their respective adjacent framework loops sulficiently to clear the side of the strut loop 28 which is positioned in abutment with the arcuate apex portion 18 of the hairpin 16 or abutting the intermediate frame 26, again as shown in Pig. 4 of the drawings. In Fig. 6 of the drawings it will be further noted that the strut end 30 is bent inwardly as at A for a purpose which will be disclosed as the description proceeds.

The bottom of the tray may comprise a plurality of straight wire rods such as 42 which are positioned in spaced parallel relationship, with the ends thereof welded to the bottom frame loop 14. A pair of reinforcing bottom rods such as 44 positioned at right angles to the rods the tray at these points is held to a minimum. An even continuous coating is likewise thereby insured. It would further be noted that no portions protrude above the top frame loop 12, while at the bottom of the tray the bottom 42 may likewise be welded to the bottom frame 14 as well as to the wire rods 42 at their intersections. In Fig. 3 of the drawings it will be noted that rods 44 have their ends bent slightly obliquely in order that the same may be fastened to the bottom framework loop 14. This also tends to facilitate stacking and handling.

- In assembling the tray, the various frame loops are assembled and the hairpins 16 welded in position to said frame loops. The bottom rod members 42 and 44 are likewise welded to the bottom frame loop 14 and then the strut members 28 are inserted through. aligned hairpins at each side of the tray, The pre-bent locking pins 32 and 34 are then inserted between the protruding ends 3d of the strut loops 28 and the hairpins 16. The lengths of the strut loops 2% are such that the ends protrude beyond the outer surfaces of the hairpin loops merely a distance sufiicient to permit the locking pin members to be forced theretlnough. Thus, they may be securely positioned and retained in substantially immovable relationship without welding, if desired. However, to lnsure an even sturdier and more durable construction, the locking pins 32 and 3% may be spot welded to the hairpins 16. Notwithstanding the same, it should be noted that a sturdy durable structure which will withstand even extreme vibration is afforded with a minimum number of welds. Even should the welds joining the locking pins to the hairpins break or separate, the struts would be firmly retained in position as would the locking pins by the coaction of the hairpins and the strut loop ends.

It should further be noted that by bending the intermediate portions 36 of the locking pins so that they abut the frame loop 12 and 26 respectively, the amount of rubber or Plastisol necessary to evenly and fully cover ends of the hairpin loops 20 and 22 are flush or end a little above the bottommost cross bars 44. Note also that to further reinforce the structure vertical corner posts such as 45 may be welded to the frame loops 12, 14 and 16.

Directing attention again to Fig. 6 of the drawings, as was previously stated, the ends of the strut loops 28 may be bent inwardly'at intermediate portions as at 40 for the dual purpose of insuring retention of the locking pins 32 and 34 in their proper position as well as to minimize the amount of coating material required to insure an even, continuous coating.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a tray of the class described comprising a basketlike structure, a plurality of continuous frame members positioned one above the other in vertically spaced relationship, a plurality of upstanding members positioned in spaced relationship about the periphery of said frame members, said upstanding members joining all of said frame members together, a plurality of bottom members positioned in parallel spaced relationship with the ends thereof secured to opposite sides of one of said frame members, a plurality of endless loop strut members positioned in spaced parallel relationship with the minor axis of each in a vertical plane, each of said strut members having its end portions protruding beyond the sides of said frame members, and locking pin members inserted between said protruding end portions and said upstanding members, each of said locking pin members coacting with said upstanding members, strut members and at least one of said frame members, thereby securing said strut members in immovable relationship within said tray.

2. The tray of claim 1 in which said frame members comprise rectangular shaped wire members positioned one each at the top and bottom of said tray and one intermediate the height thereof, said latter-mentioned frame member positioned in closer proximity to the bottom frame member than to the top one.

3. The tray of claim 1 in which said upstanding members comprise hairpin shaped wire members having a top arcuate portion and a pair of straight legs, said strut members positioned with their ends protruding from between said legs.

4. The tray of claim 3 in which each of said strut members comprise elongated rectangular-shaped wire loops having their ends indented medially in V-shaped cross section.

5. The tray of claim 4 in which said locking pin members comprise elongated wire rods formed in wavelike configuration, a pair of said rods being positioned through each set of protruding ends of the struts, one at the top and the other at the bottom of each such set.

6. A tray for stacking and washing dishes comprising in combination, three square endless wire frame loops superposed in spaced vertical relationship one with the other, a plurality of vertically positioned hairpin-shaped members welded in spaced relationship around the periphery of said frame members to join said frame members together, a plurality of straight wire rods positioned in spaced parallel relationship with the ends thereof welded to opposed sides of the bottommost frame loop,

at least a pair of bottom bracing wires positioned at right angles to said straight wire rods and having their ends welded to opposed sides of said bottommost frame, a plurality of elongated rectangular endless strut loops positioned in vertical planes in spaced parallel relationship one with the other and transverse to said straight Wire rods, a plurality of elongated locking pins each comprising a length of wire bent in wavelike configuration, the ends of said strut loops positioned to protrude one through each of said hairpins, a pair of said locking pins positioned through each set of protruding ends of the strut loops, each of said locking pins tightly abutting said strut loop ends, hairpins and one of said frame loops, whereby to secure said struts in substantially immovable relationship within said tray.

7. In a tray of the class described comprising a basketlike structure, a plurality of continuous frame members positioned one above the other in vertically spaced relationship, a plurality of upstanding members positioned in spaced relationship about the periphery of said frame members, said upstanding members joining all of said frame members together, a plurality of bottom members positioned in parallel spaced relationship with the ends thereof secured to opposite sides of one of said frame members, a plurality of rectangular endless strut loops positioned in vertical planes in spaced parallel relationship one with the other through opposed pairs of said upstanding members, the ends of said loops being indented medially in V-shaped cross section adjacent portions of said loops protruding beyond said opposed pairs of upstanding members, and four elongated wavelike locking pin members, said locking pin members being wedged between said protruding end portions and upstanding members, said protruding end portions, upstanding members and frame members co-acting upon said locking pin members to prevent any movement thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,421,705 Melish July 4, 1922 2,798,616 Maslow July 9, 1957 2,803,477 Hoose Aug. 20, 1957 2,804,213 Fox et a1. Aug. 27, 1957 

